Valve-gear for engines.



N0. 690,!63. Patented Dec. 3|, 190i.

W. LAY.

VALVE GEAR FOR ENGINES.

(Application filed Dec. 17, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheei I.

(No Model.)

Sumpufoz No. 690,163. Patented Dec. 3|, I90].

W. LAY.

VALVE GEAR FOB ENGINES.

(Application fila Dec. 11, 1900.

(No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

glllllllllllll ewuwmy WL'ZZL'WU I UNrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM LAY, OF KREMLIN, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

VALVE-G EAR FOR ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 690,163, dated December31, 1901. Application filed December 17, 1900. Serial No. 40,157. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,WILLIAM LAY, a citizen of the United States, residingat Kremlin, in the county of Garfield, Oklahoma Territory, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Valve-Gear for Steam-Engines, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in valve-gear or mechanism forsteam-engines; and the object is to provide an improvedautomatically-operatin g valve-con trolling mechanism designed toregulate and control the throttle-valve of the engine.

The invention, with slight modifications,

I may be adapted for connection and association with any steam-engine;but, as illustrated, it is particularly designed for use in connectionwith rotary steam-engines. I have shown the mechanism as connected to arotary steam-engine consisting of an annular ring or casing and arotative piston inclosed in the casing, the spokes of the pistonradiating from a hub concentric with the casing and mounted on asuitable shaft. I have not shown the construction of the piston, becausethe construction of piston and casing is immaterial to the applicationand adaptation of the invention, and it can be applied to rotary engineshaving the usual cylindrical casings and interior concentric pistons.

I have fully and clearly illustrated the invention in the accompanyingdrawings, to be taken as a part hereof, and wherein- Figure 1 is aviewinelevation, partly in section, showing my improvement attached to arotary engine. Fig. 2 is a side view of the engine, showing thevalve-gear in end view and the governor in side View. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional View through the sliding sleeve and governor asmounted on the engine shaft. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through thevalve-casing or chamber 16 and transverse section through the three wayvalve.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a circular casing for a rotaryengine, wherein is located and inclosed a revoluble or rotative pistoncarried on spokes 2, emanating from a hub mounted on a shaft 3. Thepiston is not shown; but it may be stated that it is of a constructionshown in my certain other application for patent for rotary enginebearing Serial No. 40,157, filed on the 17th day of December, 1900.

On the casing 1 is formed or suitably secured thereto a valve-chamber 4of any proper construction, having the steam-pipe 5, leading from asteam source connected therewith and opening therein, and of course aport (not shown) opens from the valve-chamber into the casing of theengine. In the valvechamber 4 are formed oppositely-disposed shouldersor seats 6 6, with which an oscillating valve 7 engages'to close thepassage or steam-port through the valve-chamber, as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The stem of the valve 7 projectsthrough a wall of the valve-chamber, as at 8, and has mounted thereon anarm 9.

Suitably supported against the engiue-casing and resting on and securedto a bracketrod 13 is ahorizontally-arranged cylinder 12, having an openinner end and a closed outer end or head. In the cylinder 12 is disposeda plunger 11, having its inner face pivotally secured to a plunger-rod10, the inner end of which rod is pivotally connected to the lower endof the arm 9, depending from the stem of the throttle-valve. In thecylinder 12 about the rod 10 is arranged an expansible spiral spring 14,having one end fixed in the cylin- (ler adjacent to the open end and theother end secured to the plunger 11. In the head of the cylinder 12 asteam-pipe 17 opens. The lower end of said pipe opens into avalvechamber 16, as shown, so that steam being let through the pipe 17into the cylinder and against the plunger-head the force thereof willmove the plunger toward the open end of the cylinder, carrying with itagainst the force of the spring 14: the depending arm 9 and opening thethrottle-valve.

In the valve-chamber 16 a steam-pipe 18 leads from a suitable source ofsteam, a proper valve (not shown) being interposed in such pipe toregulate the flow of steam. The valve-chamber 16 is intersected by acentral steam-passage, as shown, the upper portion of which connectswith the steam-pipe 17 and the lower portion 19 thereof constituting anexhaust-passage when the valve in this chamber is turned to bring thehorizontal way or passage in the valve in line with the pipe 17 andexhaust port or passage 19. In the cham- ICO her 16 is arranged athree-way valve 15, the passages through which are shown in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings. The stem of this valve projects laterally from the chamber16 and has connected thereto a horizontally-extending stem or rod 20,journaled in a supportingbearing 32, secured to the bracket or rod 13,and at its inner or free end. is formed with or has securedthereto acam-block 22,'the cam-face of which is engaged by the annular flange 26on the sleeve 25, mounted on the engine-shaft, as hereinafter specifiedand for the purpose stated. In the stem or rod 20 is fixed a pin 21,extending at right angles from the rod. On the rod or bracket 13 ispivotally secured a resilient arm 28, the free end of which bears underand against the pin 21 to exert a force to turn the valve-stem 20, ashereinafter stated. The resilient arm 28 is extended rearward beyond itspivotal support and is formed with a downward-extending lug 29, whichengages over a projecting threaded pin 30, secured in the bracket-rod13, and on the pin 30 is arranged a thumbnut 31, whereby the tension orforce of the resilient arm 28 may be regulated. It will be perceivedthat pressure by the nut 31 on the lug 29 will tend to lift or move thearm 28 upward and at the same time prevent the valvestem 20 from beingmoved too far around and also will restore it to normal relation afterthe flange and cam are disengaged.

On the engine-shaft 3is slidingly mounted a sleeve 25, splined to theshaft to rotate therewith. On the inner end of this sleeve 25 or the endadjacent to the engine-cylinder is formed a broad annular flange 26,which under the circumstances hereinafter mentioned engages the cam 22and actuates the valvestem 20. At the outer end of the sleeve 25 isformed an annular flange 26*, in which the ends of the governor-springs24 are fixed, the other ends of the springs being secured in an annularcollar 23, fixed rigid on the engineshaft. On each of thegovernor-springs 24 at their middle is mounted and secured a metal ball27, constituting-the Weights of the governor, which act in the usualmanner to expand and contract under the impulse of varying speed ofrotation.

The operation of the valve-gearing may be stated as follows: The partsbeing in the relative position indicated in the drawings, thethrottle-valve 7 and the exhaust-port of the valve-chamber 16 are bothclosed and the steamway or passage through pipe 16, threeway valve 15,and pipe 17 open and clear to admit steam to the cylinder 12 against theplunger 11, which by the force of the spring 14 rests against the end ofthe cylinder and closes the end of the pipe 17. Now when steam is letthrough the pipe 18, valve 15, and pipe 17 it exerts its force on theplunger, driving that element back and moving the valve-arm 9 to openthe throttle-valveto ad mit steam through the pipe 5 into the engine.The action of the steam on the engine-piston causes that element torotate and of course revolves the engine-shaft on which the governor ismounted, and according to the speed of revolution through the action ofthe expansion of the springs of the governor pulls the sleeve 25lengthwise on the engine-shaft until the annular flange 26 contacts withthe cam on the valve-stem 20, turns that on its axis, and with it thethree-way valve'15, to reduce or prevent the flow of steam into the pipe17, and consequently reducing or removing the pressure on the plunger,so that the force of the spring 14 acts to push back the plunger andcoincidently swing the valvearm 9 to close or partially close thethrottlevalve and stop the engine or reduce its speed. As the speed ofthe engine is reduced the sleeve-flange 26 moves gradually away fromcontact with the cam 22, and the valve-stem, with the valve 15, isturned, so that it will again gradually through the force of the arm 28admit steam to the plunger-cylinder, and thus the regulation of thespeed of the engine is regular, reliable, and certain.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with the casing, a pisston in thecasing, and the engine-shaft, of a centrifugal governor on theengine-shaft, a

sleeve revolubly and slidingly mounted on.

the engine-shaft and connected to the gov-. ernor, and formed with anannular flange, a throttle-valve to admit steam to the casing, acylinder on the casing, a plunger in the cylinder connected to the stemof the throttlevalve, and a steam-pipe opening into the cylinder toadmit steam therein and actuate the plunger.

2. The combination with the casing, a piston in the casing, and'theengine-shaft, of a centrifugal governor on the engine-shaft, a

ed to the governor, a valve having a stem turned by contact with thesleeve, a steampipe connected to the latter valve, and a plungeractuated by steam through said pipe and connected to the throttle-valve.

4. The combination with the engine-shaft, of a governor mounted thereon,a sleeve slid ably mounted on the said shaft and connect= ed to thegovernor and formed with an an nular flange, a valve provided with astem, a cam on the end of the stem in engagement with the flange of thesleeve, and means for resisting the rotation of the valve-stem.

5. The combination with the engine-shaft, of a centrifugal governorthereon, a sleeve rotating with the shaft and rotatable therewith formedwith an annular flange, a steamvalve formed with a stern, a cam on thestem in the path of the said flange, alaterally-projecting pin in thevalve-stem, and a resilient arm arranged to bear upon the pin andresistthe free revolution thereof.

(3. The combination with the casing, a piston in the casing, and theengine-shaft, of a governor on the shaft, and revolving therewith, asleeve revolubly and slidingly mounted on the engine-shaft, andconnected to the governor and formed with an annular flange, athrottle-valve, a cylinder, a plunger in the cylinder connected to thethrottle-valve, an

.plete rotation of the valve-stem and to restore it to normal position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM LAY.

Witnesses:

J. A. BURNETTE, W. E. OoeDoL.

